A competition team from Chula Vista’s Tang Soo Do Karate Institute has recently returned from a World Championship held July 16-17th in Greensboro, NC, USA. The event was sponsored by the World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA) based in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Over 1,600 competitors representing 36 countries vied for medals at the WTSDA’s 13th Championship biannual event. The Chula Vista team, led by instructors Larry & Leslie Dercole ranged from 4-5 year old Tiny Tigers to adult 3rd degree black belts and included – Alexis Stoke, Mae Stoke, Kevin Stoke, Erik Stoke, Neale McPheron, Angelo Dercole, Giordano Dercole, Gianina, Dercole, Barbara Bellini and Sig Luther. The well prepared team collected four gold, nine silver, and four bronze medals in their respective categories.
Eight year old Angelo Dercole, a black belt candidate, a resident of Otay Ranch championed his international category with two first place awards in both the weapon forms and empty hand form competition. Angelo, AKA “the karate kid” is the son of martial arts studio owners Larry and Leslie Dercole and has been training in martial arts since the age of two.
This year’s Championship carried a very special meaning to all WTSDA members as the association’s leader, Grandmaster Jae C. Shin, accepted his 9th Dan (9th degree of Black Belt) which is the highest rank in the traditional Korean martial arts. His promotion came via a proclamation petition signed by tens of thousands of WTSDA members around the globe declaring their approval. The very emotional ceremony took place in front of a parade of more than one hundred Tang Soo Do masters and approximately 4,000 spectators.
Grandmaster Shin came to America in 1968 and began teaching at a studio in Burlington, New Jersey. From that humble beginning he has managed, and built one of the largest and most prestigious martial art organizations in the world today, presently boasting over 150,000 members world-wide. Shin is famous also for being the instructor of legendary actor, Chuck Norris. Master Larry and Leslie Dercole are direct students of Grandmaster Shin and owners of Tang Soo Do Karate Institute on Main Street which has been in operation for 33 years.
For more information about Tang Soo Do Karate Institute visit www.tangsoodoki.com or contact mastrlarry@aol.com.